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March 21, 2005

The Marshall Islands and Global Warming

In certain places around the world, the onset of global warming has already begun to take a toll. Nowhere is the trend more alarming than the low-lying Marshall Islands. In a recent presentation at the Fletcher School, Alfred Capelle, Marshallese Ambassador to the United Nations, evoked an image from his homeland: “we can see the coconut trees falling into the lagoon.”

The Marshall Islands, he explained, is one of the world’s youngest nations, having only gained independence in 1986. It is home to approximately 40 thousand people and remains highly dependent on foreign aid from the United States. The citizens feel deeply tied to the islands they call home.

Capelle warned that unless something is done to mitigate the effects of global warming, low-lying countries like the Marshall Islands will submerge-- a process that has already begun.

“The Marshallese would become among the first of many environmental refugees.” Capelle explained. “This would be a devastating disruption not only for the culture and the people of the island countries, but also for the countries that would need to accommodate the refugees.” If they were forced to evacuate their land, every Marshallese person would “die an slow emotional death.”

Finding a solution will not be easy. According to Ambassador Capelle, Russia’s recent ratification of the Kyoto Protocol is only the beginning. “The international community faces a further challenge: engaging all the world’s major emitters in a long-term effort that fairly and effectively mobilizes the resources and technology needed to protect against climate change.”

Ambassador Capelle felt that the most crucial step in addressing climate change is political will, especially in developed countries: “Any good policy will be useless if there is insufficient political will to put them into action. When and how this political will materializes will depend on a host of factors, public awareness, media attention and electoral politics, even the weather.”

Ambassador Capelle took the opportunity to respond to several questions posed by Fletcher students. One student asked what was the stance of the Marshall Islands given the US’s refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol. He responded that while they [Marshallese Government] realize that the US’ participation is crucial they are ‘not comfortable’ expressing their disappointments given their dependence on the US for economic aid.

Another student asked whether the Marshallese government in association with other countries facing possible submersion had contemplated seeking legal compensation for their property loss. Ambassador Capelle responded that while he had heard faint whisperings of legal redress, nothing concrete had been discussed.

Ambassador Capelle left Fletcher community with a charge, “a small island like ours, we rely on the inputs of the international community and scholars like you to help us understand further this complex issue”.

Article by Joy-Dee Davis, MALD '05

Posted by jessica at March 21, 2005 01:23 PM